Lightning ruled out in Downers Grove apartment fire

April 09, 2010

Downers Grove firefighters have ruled out lightning as the cause of an apartment fire that left 33 residents homeless Monday, but haven't been able to determine what did start the blaze.

After a 911 caller initially said lightning had hit the building, the fire department consulted a national agency that tracks lightning and found there had been no strikes in the area surrounding the apartment building in the 24 hours before the fire, said fire department spokeswoman Marsha Giesler.

No one was seriously injured in the fire at 4901 Belmont Road.

"We're just so grateful that everyone got out," Giesler said.

She said fire investigators determined the fire started in the attic, unoccupied space above the second floor of the apartment. The building damage was so severe that fire officials can't determine a cause, but they've found no evidence of arson, she said.

There were smoke alarms in many, but not all, of the apartments; fire officials don't how many were operating. There were no sprinkler systems or smoke alarms in the hallways because it was an older building, Giesler said.

"It didn't have a detection system in the hallway or up in the attic," she said.

Property damage was estimated at $1.5 million and another $160,000 for the apartments' contents.

All residents have found temporary housing but some are struggling to find a permanent place to live, Giesler said.